What I've Been Searching For
by AwakeningEden
Summary: His parents were never really able to explain his rather…odd fascination with the Water Tribe. Bolin was meant for a life greater than that of a typical earthbender. He was meant to fall in love with the Avatar all over again.


His parents were never really able to explain his rather…_odd_ fascination with the Water Tribe.

It began when a two-year old Bolin was at first forced to slurp down some old-fashioned Northern Water tribe broth to calm down his fever. The broth was an ugly sea-green and Bolin's eyes watered at the smell.

"C'mon now, my little Bo," his mother cooed, her green eyes bright and playful. She shouldn't have expected anything different. Mako had been just the same. "Eat it up, honey. You'll feel better."

"N-no," Bolin whined but as soon as he opened his mouth, his mother slipped the spoon in the opening.

It was a complete 180.

Bolin's eyes widened and he gulped down the broth with apparent joy. He motioned for another spoonful and although delighted she wouldn't have a fidgety child to deal with for the rest of the night, his mother was confused at the sudden change. The broth was meant to be an herbal medicine and even she cringed at the thought of taking it to remedy her ills. But, at least her son was happy.

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"Mama, I want soup," Bolin requested for the third day in a row.

"Honey that was only because you were sick…" his mother sighed as she prepared the wolfbat meat she bought at the market. "Don't you want some tasty meat and rice instead?"

"Yeah, why would you like that disgusting stuff anyway?" Mako appeared in the kitchen, his face dirty and arms bare. "I don't ever want to eat it again as long as I live!"

At his brother's rejection of his newfound favorite food, Bolin raised his arms to his face and began to cry. "B-b-but, it was g-good…"

"Mako, did you make your brother cry again?" their father towered over the two siblings as he picked up Bolin and gently pulled him to his shoulder. "There, there, Bo. It's alright."

"He keeps asking for that broth," their mother said. "I have no idea why he liked it so much but he can't eat that every day. It's only meant to be medicinal."

"Well…" their father thought for a minute before pulling his head back to meet Bolin's red eyes. "How about this, Bolin; would you like to try some Water Tribe food downtown? They have some really good noodles there. Maybe you'll find something that's similar."

Bolin nodded his head and hugged his father tight.

"Water Tribe food?" Mako blanched. "Mom, can I just have the wolfbat meat?"

"It's okay Mako, you don't have to come. It'll just be me and Bolin this time around," And with that, Bolin and his father prepared to eat out.

What Bolin's father was not prepared for, however, was for Bolin to become obsessed with the Water Tribe cuisine, clothes, and everything else that resembled it.

"I guess this is kind of our fault," his mother chuckled one day as Bolin tried on another pair of mukluks with his blue anorak snug over his body. "His name does mean gentle rain."

"Yeah…but don't you think the kids at school will make fun of him?" his father wasn't one to usually back away from social taboos. He had married an earthbender after all. Even if they lived in Republic City, interracial marriages were still considered out of the norm and occasionally looked down upon in certain parts of the city. "Especially since we're considering putting him in the metalbending academy…"

"You don't even know if he can earthbend yet," she smiled as Bolin strutted in front of the mirror. "You never know, one of us might have a waterbending ancestor that somehow manifested in him."

"One can only hope," he returned his wife's smile and waited for Bolin to make his final decision on the mukluks.

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It was supposed to be a happy occasion; but the day Bolin accidentally shot a large rock up into the air without touching it, he started to uncontrollably cry. His mother ran outside, first aid kit in hand only to have a sudden sense of pride swell within her at the sight of her son's first earthbending act. She could teach Bolin just like her husband would teach Mako…

"I hate it!" Bolin cries snapped her out of her future expeditions and rushed to her son, inspecting him for any injury. Her brows crossed when she noticed no injury and she looked down at her son.

"What's wrong, Bolin? Does something hurt?" His mother asked.

"N-no…" Bolin futilely wiped the tears from his eyes.

"Then what's wrong, baby?"

"I…I'm an earthbender," Bolin mumbled, his eyes wandering towards the rock he uprooted from the ground.

"Why yes, you are, Bo!" his mother let out a lighthearted laugh, happiness and pride swelling within her again. "You're just like mommy! Doesn't that make you happy?"

"No," Bolin's tone hit her in the chest and she grew worried. What if Bolin had hoped to be a firebender like his brother and father? What if he didn't want to be like her?

The pain of her son's apparent rejection didn't stop her from asking, "Why?"

"Because I wanted to be a waterbender!" Bolin exclaimed. "I was trying to move the water out of the puddle to water the flowers but I moved that stupid rock instead."

"You wanted to be…a…" his mother couldn't help but feel a tad annoyed at her son, decked out in a pair of dark blue trousers and a light blue tank top. He talked about the Water Tribe as though it was his home, as though he was meant to be a part of that nation. He wore their clothes, ate their food any opportunity he could, and studied the culture and the districts dedicated to the tribes. Why wasn't he proud of his heritage? He didn't come from one, but _two _nations. Why couldn't he study their traditions, wear their clothes, eat their food, and practice the bending the spirits had blessed with him? Why did he want what he couldn't have?

It was then that his mother realized she had never _asked _her son why.

"Bo, why do you love the Water Tribes so much?"

Bolin's eyes widened slightly and he sat up, his gaze drifting towards the water he had tried to bend. "I don't know…it just…it just feels right. I love the water tribes like I love you and daddy and Mako."

Even if he was too young to realize it, his mother understood. For some reason, the Water Tribes: their culture and traditions had engraved themselves in Bolin. They were just as a part of him as his family was. And wasn't that what Avatar Aang had wanted? For all nations to feel like they were a part of the other? To unite and live in harmony? Perhaps her baby Bo was a representation of that: a product of an Earth Kingdom/Fire Nation marriage who loved everything that the Water Tribe had to offer. Her eyes watered at the thought, seeing something her grandparents had only ever dreamed of.

"I understand," she reassured her son, drawing him close and holding him tightly. "But you have a beautiful gift, Bolin. You should embrace and cherish it. Just like you should embrace your heritage. It's okay to love the Water Tribe culture and tradition. But how about looking a little into your own? Can you do that for mommy?"

Bolin looked his mother in the eye and nodded. He really did love his mommy, daddy, and his big brother Mako. He really did learn to appreciate his heritage and his earthbending. He started to like the earthbending clothes his mother picked out for him and the earthbending school he started to attend. He even liked all of these things after his parents died and he and Mako were left to fend for themselves.

But his love for the Water Tribe never waned and it was all but carved into his membrane the first time he saw a picture of the Avatar.

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"Mako," Bolin tugged at his brother's shirt, trying to get his attention as they begged for yuan on the outskirts of the marketplace. "Mako, I _know _her."

Mako turned his attention to his brother, his face twisted in a scowl. They only had one more hour until the marketplace closed and they didn't have nearly enough to buy some soup and bread for two.

"Who do you know, Bolin?" Mako decided to appease his brother if it would get him to concentrate on his pout and cause some sympathy to stir in the throng passing them by. No one would give money to a kid who seemed to be happy on the streets. They would probably think it's some kind of con.

"_Her! _I know her!" Bolin pressed a piece of newspaper into Mako's face, his laughter grating on Mako's nerves. How as it that his brother could always be so happy, especially given their current situation?

Mako grabbed onto the piece of paper and looked at the "her" in question. It was a little girl around the same age as Bolin. She had a cocky grin plastered on her face as she performed firebending with one hand and earthbending in another. But how was that even possible? Unless she was…

"Bo, I'm sorry to say," Mako sighed, "But I'm pretty sure you don't know this girl."

"Why not?" Bolin huffed just as a woman looked in their direction. His expression apparently stirred sympathy within her as she dropped a few yuans in metal tin Mako had found in an alley one day.

"Thank you very much, miss!" Mako waved to her before addressing his brother. "Because, she's the _Avatar. _You know, the embodiment of the world? The one that's supposed to restore balance? Mastering all the four elements? Any of these ring a bell?"

"And what does that have to do with it?" Bolin shot back at his brother. Mako growled; his brother was obviously not getting the point.

"Look, she lives in the Southern Water Tribe – "

"She's from the Water Tribe! That's so cool. I didn't know –"

"_Which means," _Mako said through gritted teeth. "She's never been here before. She's never lived in Republic City and she probably won't _ever _live in Republic City. You _don't_ know her. Okay, Bolin?" Although he didn't want to, Mako had to stomp out these childish fantasies about knowing someone so out of their league in every possible way. He had to get Bolin to face the harsh reality around them – that there was no escape and there was no avatar coming to save them from it.

His brother's outburst made Bolin want to run away and cry and seek refuge at his favorite fountain at the heart of Republic City. He didn't know how to explain it, but seeing the picture of the little Avatar made him feel…whole. Complete. Like there was something he had lost and she was the only one who could give it back. He felt that way to a lesser extent when he ate Water Tribe cuisine and looked at the clothes he could no longer afford and could no longer be seen in because of his apparent earthbending background. And the feeling was stronger every time he looked at the Avatar's photo.

"I just…I just know I know her, Mako," Bolin stared down at the ground, a few tears slipping from his eyes and into the dirt. "I just know it."

Mako frowned at his brother's tears, even ignoring the crowd that started pouring money into the unhappy pair's tin. Why was his brother so sure he knew her? Why was he so determined this time to keep his little fantasy wrapped securely around him?

This, and his brother's fascination with the Water Tribe would remain a mystery to Mako for quite some time. Even as the pair forgot about this particular conversation, forgot about the Avatar and her cocky grin, Bolin immersed himself in everything Water Tribe any time he could. After all, his parents had named him "gentle rain." If that wasn't an excuse to eat sea prunes and seaweed bread, he didn't know what was.

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It was when Bolin entered puberty that he started to have visions. He had had glimpses before of his obsession: of fresh blue water and glaciers that went on for miles. But, it wasn't until he and his brother began to train to be pro-benders, living in the attic of the bending arena, did he begin to have _visions. _ Visions of beautiful Northern Water Tribe landscapes, of the people and their culture, and quick glances of fierce blue eyes that seemed so enraptured and enamored every time they looked his way. He was scared to tell Mako about them though – he would probably scoff at them and consider them "a nice little fantasy" just as he always had. But the dreams, the _visions – _they felt so true. So _real. _He didn't know how else to explain it.

The visions caused him to go to library to see if the glaciers, the architecture laid out to him in his dreams were anything like the modern-day Northern Water Tribe. He was a little disappointed when the paintings he found in the museums and libraries were different in many ways – there were too many additions there, too little marble there. Maybe his dreams were just like Mako had said – dreams that were meant to help him escape from this reality. Escapism was fine, but he was so sure that what he had seen, what he felt in his heart every time he glanced at the pages of the Water Tribe atlases and slurped down the traditional Water Tribe seaweed noodles was not escapism. Was not a way for him to let go of his reality and replace it with some idle fantasy. He had felt this way since he was just a toddler. Why should it be any different now?

His pondered this as he walked towards the waiting room for his next match. He knew he shouldn't be thinking about it right now, especially when this and the next match was a must-win in order to go to the championship tournament. But last night's dream had been so entrancing…

_Do you promise? _He remembered the voice being feminine, sweet and gentle like the snow falling all around him. _Do you promise to stay true to us? To never leave me even when there are…there are far prettier girls than me?_

_How could you say that? _A masculine voice, its tone bewildered echoed all around him. _I loved you since the moment I saw you. No woman, no man, _no one _could ever outshine you in my heart. You are my ocean, my eternity – I will always stay true to you, in this life and in the next. _

And although he couldn't see it, Bolin _felt _the people who those voices belong to kiss. He felt the love, the peaceful passion sprout between them. The feeling washed over him, his entire body wrapped up in the serenity of the snow that glided over him and the kiss he could not see.

"But what does it mean?" Bolin asked himself, looking down at his gloved hand and frowning. Why would he envision that? The pair didn't necessarily sound familiar. But he couldn't help but think it was a reclusive memory – something he had seen when he was small. Perhaps in the winter when he was out shopping with his family. That had to be it. There was no way it had to do with his visions about the Northern Water Tribe and his –

"– and then I got lost."

_That voice, _Bolin turned his head around and leaned backwards to see a girl his age decked out in Water Tribe attire, sheepishly making up an excuse as to why she was in Toza's gym. Even from 50 meters away he could tell she was beautiful. Her hair a decadent brown, her skin a smooth chocolate caramel. But her voice, _her voice _was something he…he _knew _he heard it before. He couldn't just let that go. Slicking his hair back, he advanced towards the pair, hoping he could remember where he had heard that voice before.

"Oh, _there you are!_" the words blurted out of his mouth before he had the chance to process what he was saying. Toza and the Water Tribe lass turned to face him and a sudden rush of adrenaline raced through him as her fierce blue eyes took in his approaching form. They seemed…familiar…

"I've been looking _everywhere_ for you!" Bolin didn't know why those words poured out of his mouth. But they felt so right that he didn't second guess it. He had always been one to go with his intuition, to go with the feelings that stirred within him. He wasn't about to questions himself now when someone as beautiful and amazing as the young woman in front of him needed his help.

Especially when, in that moment, it really did feel like he had spent his entire life looking for her.

"It's alright, Toza," he reassured his old friend. "She's with me."

"Yeah, I'm with him," the girl chirped back to Toza, her body language showing just how grateful she was.

"So you see, we're together," Wait. This was something he had to question himself on. Why did he say that? Insinuate that?

The girl seemed to catch on to his tone rather quickly, shooting him a disapproving glance before adding, "Not _together, _together. More like friends."

"Right, I didn't mean to imply…" Bolin didn't know why, but her words cut into him like a knife. He placed a hand onto his chest to calm the anxiety beginning to stream into his heart. He just met her and she rejected his rather obvious attempts at flirting. Okay, that happens sometimes. But why did he feel like she had just…broken a promise?

"Oh, you implied it." He looked at Toza instead of her, afraid of what her body language, her eyes may say now. He was sure they weren't necessarily grateful anymore.

Toza scoffed and turned away from the pair, having enough of their hormonal teenage antics.

Although his chest was still undergoing some serious heartache (confusing him all the more), he slid on a friendly smile and bowed to his new companion. "Right this way, miss."

"Thanks for that!" he was caught off guard by her happy demeanor. Perhaps she was a girl of second chances. He could only hope as she leaned in and whispered "Seriously, thanks."

He smiled back at her, his heart calming down. She hadn't rejected him – not yet.

As they walked and chatted down the hall – what she thought of the arena, who was her favorite pro-bending team, trivial comments of little substance – Bolin felt at peace. He should have been excited, nervous, scared even: if they lost this match, he and Mako would have to find two jobs each just to afford staying in the attic. But this girl with her cocky smile and vibrant blue eyes made him feel…

_Special. _

It was something he had never really felt before to be honest. He was the kid brother to a handsome, aloof, and talented firebender. Mako was content and confident with who he was and what he did. Bolin had never had that feeling of belonging, especially with his passion for Water Tribe Culture. Even Mako was more in-tune with their Earth Kingdom heritage Bolin. Although Mako had been burdened with providing shelter and food for them since their parents' deaths, he was stronger because of it. He accepted himself and his lot in life. In the wake of his adulthood, Bolin had still yet to realize that.

Until the pretty Water Tribe lass's voice rang in his ear and his whole world seemed to dwindle down to his heart and this beautiful emotion buzzing through him.

Tranquility. Acceptance. _Complete_. It was so wonderful.

"So what do you think? Best seats in the house, right?" Bolin said as he opened the door to the waiting room. The way her eyes lit up at the arena gave him shivers, made him all the more entranced by her mere presence. This was unlike anything he had ever felt before. He took in all the little details. The way she darted to the railing, her hair bouncing up and down against her slim neck. The way her hands tightened the rails, her taunt muscles unveiling themselves beneath her dark skin. The way her eyes shifted every which way, taking in the glorious sights and sounds of the arena. Everything she did was so mesmerizing; it was hard to look anywhere else.

It was then he realized he had not caught her name.

_Or maybe I did…I swear it starts with a K or something, _Bolin thought. He was pretty sure he hadn't told her his name yet.

"Name's Bolin by the way," he leaned in just a little bit as she moved her eyes to the water below.

"Korra," she replied, her voice distant.

_Ah, that's it! Korra! _It was perfect! How could he have forgotten it the first time she told him? He blinked a couple times, doing his best to associate the name Korra to the vixen next to him. It was such a wild, passionate name. He felt stupid for forgetting the first time and was about to tell her just that when he heard someone hiss from behind him.

"Bolin!" he cringed at the sound of his brother's voice. This was going to be trouble, especially since the last girl he let in the waiting room technically sexually assaulted Hasook…

Bolin peeled his eyes away from Korra and walked over to his brother. "Yeah, Mako?"

"What did I tell you about letting in your crazy fangirls?" Mako glared at Korra's back and a sudden surge of irritation coursed through Bolin. Funny, Bolin rarely got angry at his brother…. "Get her _out _of here."

Bolin tried his best to compose himself. He didn't want a confrontation with his brother right before the match, especially since said confrontations were so few and far between the two.

"Ah, c'mon Mako," Bolin said. Perhaps if he was honest with his brother he would have a change of heart. Perhaps Mako would listen to him this time around. Especially since this time it didn't involve just any Water Tribe trinket. This time, this sense of specialness came from a beautiful young woman. "Alright, I said she could say, but _man _do I have a great feeling about this one. There's something special about her. I know it.

"Here, let me introduce you to her," Bolin's hands become a bit clammy as he takes Korra's shoulders and leads her to his brother. "Korra, I'd like you to meet my brother Mako."

"Mako?" her voice rose in shock and excitement. "Wow, I heard you play on the radio! You were…" she trailed as Mako walked past her, her face faulting at his rather brash dismissal. Bolin frowned at his brother's action. Didn't he just say she was special? That she was different?

_That she's what I've been looking for my entire life?_

Woah, where did that come from?

"Don't worry," Bolin tried to reassure Korra, even though some of that reassurance was for himself. Because he really needed it. Because he realized there was no way he should be thinking these thoughts when he had spent less than 20 minutes with this girl and her beautiful voice and perfect body and brilliant hair – "Mako just gets that way before a match.

"Alright, I got to go now!" Bolin masked his anxiety from Korra as best he could, allowing the adrenaline from the upcoming match sweep through him. He buckled his helmet onto his head, his fingers shaky in anticipation. "Wish me luck! Not like I'm going to need it."

He walked over to the lifting dock beside his brother and Hasook, readying himself for the screams of the crowd, the rush of the air as he was lifted towards the –

Korra giggled behind him. _Giggled. _"Good luck!"

_Make this the best damn match you have ever played!_ Bolin encouraged himself, a wide smile stretching across his face. This was it. He had no idea where this sense of wholeness, of acceptance came from, why he felt that way the moment he heard her voice, the moment he laid eyes on her…

But.

She was it.


End file.
